This beautiful gem was created with a two inch brush when I was just starting to find my voice in acrylic. It’s probably one of my most favorite paintings, and it sits prominently in my art storage center for collectors to see. This piece was a catalyst. It reminds me every time I see it, not only the joy of celebrating my body in the rawest way, but the joy and inspiration I had when I first realized that this piece could spark an entire conversation around women and how we perceive our bodies.
Finding constant inspiration is not easy.
Staying constantly inspired is not easy — it’s work.
My love for art started with animation. I was so excited to use my imagination to create brand new characters for cartoons and video games. I remember the first rush of picking up a paintbrush, thinking of all the things I wanted to capture around me. As the years go on, artists will naturally begin to morph in their subject matter. I fell in love with capturing people as they are — a big departure from my initial love of creating brand new characters. But as a figurative artist, I believe its my responsibility to capture humanity as we change through time — I’m most interested in documenting how our perceptions change about ourselves, gender, identity, and how society impacts those shifts in our mindset.
It’s hard to not be jaded by the art world or even by your peers. These feelings can enter into your practice and it becomes a little more different to maintain that same level of inspiration. Achieving that feeling that nothing else in the world mattered but the work in front of you. This is a universal struggle for artists. How do you follow through on this sudden, in-the-gut, brilliant idea, connection of ideas or things and then the fervor to act upon it and to create something new out of it?
Sometimes I hit a wall and that’s where the inspiration has burnt itself out and needs some fuel. Taking a step back and re-cultivate the idea, helps push through that ebb and flow. Once it all falls into place, you are inspired to finish what was started, even if it is somewhat different from your initial vision. It is worthy to move onwards with.
What inspires you through your process? This isn’t easy work and there are no easy answers. So dig deeper, channel your voice and figure out what you’re really trying to say with each piece.